Flocked nonwoven textile material having a relief pattern therein



FLOGKED NONWOVEN TEXTILE MATERIAL HAVING A Feb. 17, 1970 J. F. BAlGAs, JR y I' 3,496,054.'

RELIEF PATTERN THEREIN Filed Jan. 15, 196:7v 2 Smets-sheet 1 A 16 f 5 lsE'PH E BNQASJR.

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- ATTORNEY Feb. `17, 1970 J.-'F. BAIGAs', JR 3,496,054

FLOCKED NONWOVEN TEXTILE MATERIAL HAVING A RELIEF PATTERN THEREIN Filed Jan. 13, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,496,054 FLOCKED NONWOVEN TEXTILE MATERIAL HAVING A RELlEF PATTERN THEREIN Joseph F. laigas, Jr., Charlotte, N.C., assigner to Kem- Wove Industries, Inc., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Jan. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 609,017 Int. Cl. D04h 11/00; B32b 5/28, 5/14 U.S. Cl. 161-63 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flocked, nonwoven textile material, suitable for use as floor coverings, wall coverings, automobile headliners or the like and particularly characterized `by a relief pattern in the flocked surface. The material comprises a high loft, open, low density, bonded, nonwoven batt of thermoplastic textile fibers having interconnecting voids constituting approximately at least 75% of the volume of the bonded batt and irregular, open, voided upper, lower and side surfaces, a resinous adhesive film applied on the surface of the batt and penetrating the batt inwardly to about 10%-35% of the thickness for coating the fibers of the batt in that zone, and a plurality of flock-type textile fibers having one end of each fiber adhered to the adhesive film and to the fibers of the batt in the zone of adhesive coating whereby the flock-type fibers penetrate the bonded batt and extend therefrom to form a relatively dense, abrasion and wear resistant, flocked surface thereon which conforms generally to the irregular surface of the bonded batt to provide a relief pattern which particularly adapts the flocked material for use as a floor covering.

This invention relates to a flocked, nonwoven, composite textile material suitable for use as floor coverings, wall coverings, automobile headliners or the like and more specifically to such a flocked nonwoven material characterized by a relief pattern on the flocked surface thereof.

Flocked textiles are well known and have been widely used as floor coverings or the like. Mechanical flocking has been in use for over fifty years and electrostatic flocking more than thirty years. The art of flocking has been acknowledged to offer many advantages over other textile manufacturing operations, such as weaving or knitting. The speed and economics of flocking is considerably greater than any of the other procedures.

In the carpeting field, normally a non-uniform surface or relief pattern is desired. However, in recent years in the carpeting field, a nonwoven base for flocking normally has been and is utilized. The base upon which the flock is deposited is usually a high density, nonwoven material and is either a needled product wherein the fibers are interlocked mechanically or a heavily saturated bonded nonwoven structure where the surface of the nonwoven is relatively uniform and the surface interstices or voids for the most part are either closed or closely spaced. Conventionally, when an adhesive or bonding agent for adhering the flock fibers to the nonwoven material is applied to the surface of these nonwoven materials, it is normally of high viscosity (30,000 to 100,000 cps. Brookfield at #5 spindle at rpm.) and remains for the major part on the surface of the material and fills the interstices and ice voids and the flock fibers are merely adhered to the surface of the nonwoven material without any penetration internally into the nonwoven material. This type of manufacturing operation results in a uniform flock disposition on the surface and fails to provide a relief pattern which is normally undesirable in the carpeting field .and also results in a fairly weak or easily delarninated abrasion and wear resisting surface on the carpeting material.

Also, it has been proposed to utilize polyurethane foam or bonded fiberglass batts las the base material for forming a flocked product for use as carpeting or other products. However, flocked materials utilizing these types of bases are not entirely satisfactory. The polyurethane foam does not provide individual, substantially round surfaces or fibers in the batt for ease in adherence of the bonding material and the flocked fibers and thereby does not provide a strong bond therebetween. Also, the bonded fiberglass batts are brittle and fracture very easily upon repeated `bending or compressing of the flocked material and thereby are not `at all suitable for use as floor covermgs.

By this invention, it has been discovered that a flocked, nonwoven textile material having superior characteristics and characterized by a relief pattern in the flocked surface which render the same particularly suitable for use as floor coverings or the like may be produced by utilizing a batt of thermoplastic, bendable, nonbrittle, textile fibers disposed in an intermingled, three-dimensional arrangement throughout the length, width and depth of the batt and bonded together at spaced points of contact by a resinous bonding material to fixedly joint the fibers together to form a high loft, open, low density, bonded, nonwoven batt having a plurality of open, interconnecting voids throughout and irregular, open, voided upper, lower and side surfaces thereon. This bonded nonwoven batt includes a resinous adhesive film deposited on and coating the fibers of the batt in a zone extending from the upper surface of the batt inwardly to about 10%- 35% of the thickness of the batt and a multiplicity of flock-type textile fibers having one end of each fiber adhered to the adhesive film and to the fibers of the batt in the zone of the adhesive film coating whereby the flock-type fibers penetrate the bonded batt and extend therefrom to form a relatively dense, abrasion and wear resistant, flocked surface thereon which conforms generally to the irregular surface of the bonded batt to provide a relief pattern which particularly adapts the flocked material for use as floor coverings.

Also, it has been found by this invention that the relationship of the average length of the flock-type textile fibers to the average cross-sectional dimensions of the voids in the bonded batt will produce distinctly different structures, both of which provide Vrelief patterns in the flocked surfaces and are well suited for use as floor coverings. When the average length of the flock-type textile fibers is greater than the average cross-sectional dimension of the voids in the bonded batt, the flock-type fibers will extend from and generally perpendicular to the upper surface of the bonded batt to provide a high pile surface on the material. When the average length of the flock-type textile fibers is less than the average cross-sectional dimension of the voids, the flock-type fibers will extend substantially radially from and substantially surround each of the fibers of the bonded batt to which they are adhered to provide a dense flocked surface on the material and to render the material more resistant to compression and abrasion.

Both of the above-described specific types of flocked, nonwoven textile material will provide flocked surfaces which are strongly adhered to the bonded nonwoven batt both at the surface thereof and internally thereof by extending into the voids of the nonwoven batt thereby providing a flocked surface which is not easily delaminated from the base material and becomes an integral part of the str-ucture. Also, due to the irregular and open voided configuration of the surface of the nonwoven batt as opposed to the more conventional base materials, a flocked surface is produced which is characterized by a relief pattern on the flocked, nonwoven material which is particularly suitable for use as floor coverings and which is not readily obtained by the use of other types of base materials, such as those discussed above.

Further features of this invention will be understood from a consideration of the following more detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a flocked, nonwoven textile material of this invention utilizing flock-type textile fibers which have an average length longer than the average cross-sectional dimension of the voids in the bonded batt and which illustrates a relief pattern in the flocked surface of the material;

FIGURE 2 is a more enlarged cross-sectional View of the flocked, nonwoven textile material of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a flocked, nonwoven textile material of this invention utilizing flock-type textile fibers which have an average length shorter than the average cross-sectional dimension of the voids in the bonded batt and which illustrates a relief pattern in the flocked surface of the material;

FIGURE 4 is a greatly-enlarged cross-sectional view, broken away, of the flocked, nonwoven textile material of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view of one of the fibers 3f the flocked material of FIGURE 4 illustrating the Flock-type textile fibers extending radially from and surrounding the fiber and taken substantially along the line S-S of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES 1 and 2, there is shown a flocked, nonwoven textile material, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10, which is particularly suitable for use as floor coverings or `:he like and which is characterized by a relief pattern in :he flocked surface. The material comprises a batt, gen- :rally indicated yby the reference numeral 11, of thermo- Alastic, bendable, non-brittle, textile bers 12 disposed in an intermingled, three-dimensional arrangement through- Jut the length, width and depth of the batt 11 and bonded :ogether at spaced points of contact by a resinous bonding noterial 13 to fixedly join the fibers 12 together to form a righ loft, open, low density, bonded, nonwoven batt 11 raving a plurality of open, interconnecting voids 14 con- ;tituting approximately at least 75% of the volume of the /olume of the bonded batt and irregular, open, voided lpper, lower and side surfaces 15, 16 and 17 thereon.

The flocked, nonwoven textile material 10 further corn- Jrises a resinous adhesive film, generally indicated `by the 'eference numeral 2i), disposed ,on and coating the fibers 12 )f the batt 11 in a zone extending from the upper surface l5 inwardly to about 10%-35% of the thickness of the )att 11. The flocked material 10 also includes a multiplicity if flock-type textile fibers 21 having one end of each fiber rdhered to the plastic film 20 and to the fibers 12 of the )att 11 in the zone of adhesive film coating whereby the lock-type fibers 21 penetrate into the voids 14 of the bouded batt 11 and extend therefrom to form a relatively dense, abrasion and wear resistant, flocked surface 22 which conforms generally to the irregular voided surface of the bonded batt 11 to provide a relief pattern which particularly adapts the flocked material 10 for use as floor coverings.

In the flocked, nonwoven textile material 10 of FIG- URES 1 and 2, the flock-type textile fibers 21 preferably have an average length longer than the average cross-sectional dimension of the voids 14 of the bonded nonwoven batt 11 so that the flock-type fibers will extend from and generally perpendicular to the upper surface of the bonded batt 11 to provide a high pile surface on the material. The average lengths of these flock-type fibers 21 are 3 mm. to 5 mm. and the average cross-sectional dimensions of the voids 14 are 2 mm. to 4 mm.

Referring now to FIGURES 3-5, there is shown a similar flocked material construction wherein like reference numerals are utilized with prirne notations thereon. In these figures, there is shown a flocked, nonwoven textile material 10 which is particularly suitable for use as floor coverings or the like and which is characterized by a relief pattern in the flocked surface. The material 10 comprises a fbatt 11 of thermoplastic, bendable, nonbrittle, textile fibers 12' disposed in an intermingle, three-dimensional arrangement through the length, width and depth of the batt 11 and bonded together at spaced points of contact by a resinous bonding material 13 to fixedly join the fibers 12 together to form a high loft, open, low density, bonded, nonwoven batt 11 having a plurality of open, interconnecting voids 14' constituting approximately at least of the volume of the bonded batt and irregular, open, voided upper, lower and side surfaces 1S', 16 and 17' thereon.

The flocked, nonwoven textile material 10' further cornprises a resinous adhesive film 20 disposed on and coating the fibers 12 of the batt 11 in a zone extending from the upper surface 15 inwardly to about 10%-35 of the thickness of the batt 11. The flocked material 10 also includes a multiplicity of flock-type textile fibers 21 having one end of each fiber adhered to the plastic film 20 and to the fibers 12 of the batt 11' in the zone of adhesive lilm coating whereby the flock-type fibers 21 penetrate into the voids 14 of the bonded batt 11 and extend therefrom to form a relatively dense, abrasion and wear resistant, flocked surface 22 which conforms generally to the irregular surface of the bonded batt 11 to provide a relief pattern which particularly adapts the flocked material 10 for use as floor coverings.

In the flocked, nonwoven textile material 10"of FIG- URES 3-5, the average lengths of the flock-type textile fibers 21 are preferably shorter than the average cross-I sectional dimensions of the voids 14 of the bonded nonwoven batt 11 so that the flock-type textile fibers will extend substantially radially from and substantially surround each of the fibers 12 of the bonded batt 11 to which they are adhered, as may be seen clearly in FIG- URES 4 and 5, to provide a dense flocked surface 22' on the material 10 and to render the material more resistant to compression due to the partial filling of the voids in the flocked zone of the textile material 10 and to form an integral structure. The average lengths of these flocktype fibers 21 are 1/2 mm. to 2 mm. and the average crosssectional dimensions of the voids 14 are 2 mm. to 5 mm.

The above differences in construction between the material 10 of FIGURES 1 and 2 and the material 10 of FIGURES 3-5 are possible because in FIGURES 1 and 2 the flock-type textile fibers 21 cannot locate or form themselves around and substantially surround each of the fibers 12 in the voids 14 of the bonded batt 11 because their average length is longer than the voids 14 in the bonded batt 11. Conversely, in the material 10' of FIGURES 3- 5, the flock-type textile fibers 21 are shorter than the dimensions of the voids 14' in the bonded batt 11 and,

therefore, locate themselves radially around each of the fibers 12 in the bonded batt 11 when applied thereto.

Each of the flocked, non-woven textile materials 10 and 10 may also include a backing layer 25 and 25', as may be seen in the drawings, which is adhered to the lower surface 16 and 16 of the bonded batts 11 and 11 to provide stability to the flocked materials 10 and 10. This backing layer may be any suitable type of material such as acrylic film, vinyl plastisol, foam, rubber, woven, nonwoven or knitted materials, etc.

The fibers 12 and 12' of the materials 10 and 10 may be of any suitable type of thermoplastic fibers selected from the group consisting of polyester, nylon, acrylic, acetate, modacrylic, triacetate, polypropylene, polyethylene, or combinations thereof and preferably polyester, nylon and polypropylene.

The batts 11 and 11 of thermoplastic fibers 12 and 12 may be bonded together with any resinous bonding material, especially those bonding materials selected from the group consisting of acrylic, vinyls, melamine, butadiene styrene, butadiene acrylonitrile, melamine formaldehyde, polyvinylidene chloride, epoxy-type resins, or combinations thereof.

The flock-type textile fibers 21 and 21 may be of any suitable type, such as those listed above for the fibers 12 and 12 of the bonded batts 11 and 11' and particularly nylon or polyesters and sometimes rayon. As set forth above, the fibers may preferably range in length from 1/2 mm. to 5 mrn.

The resinous adhesive film disposed on and coating the fibers 12 and 12' of the batts 11 and 11 for adherence of the flock-type textile fibers 21 and 21 may be any suitable adhesive bonding material such as those listed above for bonding the nonwoven batt and particularly the acrylics. These adhesives preferably have a viscosity in the range of 2,500 to 7,500 cps. Brookfield at 10 r.p.m. with #5 spindle so as to allow the desired penertation thereof into the bonded nonwoven batt, but still retain the flock-type fibers during the flocking process.

"For producing the above-described flocked, nonwoven materials, the bonded batts 11 and 11 may be produced by forming the fibers 12 and 12 into open, nonwoven, three-dimensional webs in any conventional manner, such as by a Rando-Webber machine, commercially available from the Curlator Corporation of Rochester, N.Y., Proctor-Form and Duo-Form machines, commercially available from Proctor & Schwartz Company of Philadelphia, Pa., Web Former machine, commercially available from James H. Hunter Company of North Adams, Mass., conventional carding and garnetting machines, etc. The fibers in this web are bonded together at spaced points with a suitable bonding material to form an integral nonwoven bonded batt structure by any conventional method, such as spraying the bonding material thereon, immersing the web in a bath of bonding material and extracting the excess, etc.

This bonded, nonwoven batt is then reated with a bonding agent or adhesive for the flock-type fibers by a conventional method such as spraying, dipping, etc., so that the bonding agent or adhesive penetrates into the structure of the bonded, nonwoven batt from l%-35% of the thickness of the batt. This adhesive must be of such quality and viscosity that it will not fill the voids, but will coat the fibers throughout the depths of its penetration.

The bonded, nonwoven batts 11 and 11 with the adhesive thereon is then sent to a conventional electrostatic flocking device wherein cut flock-type textile fibers of the desired length are deposited on and into the bonded, nonwoven batt. These electrostatic flocking devices may be of any conventional type, such as illustrated in U.S. Patents Nos. 2,218,445 and 2,222,539, electrostatic flocking devices which are commercially available from' Eloflock Oberflaechenveredlung GmbH, Stolberger Str. 391, Koeln-Braunsfeld, Germany, or Hug Flock AG, Rupperswil, Switzerland, etc. Conventionally, these electrostatic flocking devices create an electrostatic field between a positive and negative electrode to furnish the forces of attraction. The flock-type textile fibers are given a positive charge and are drawn into the electrostatic field to align themselves in parallel position to the lines of force or flux. They are then impelled downwardly at high Velocity to penetrate the adhesive film on the fibers of the nonwoven batt, which is grounded to the negative electrode. This gives a high distribution of vertically oriented flock-type textile fibers. Preferably, beater bars may be used with the flocking mechanism to obtain better fiber penetration.

The flocked batt, after passing through the electrostatic flocking device, is sent to a curing oven wherein the adhesive is dried and cured and the deposited flocktype fibers firmly and permanently held in place. After leaving this oven, the flocked, nonwoven textile material may be wound in rolls and finished if required, i.e., cutting, slitting, printing, etc.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to ybe limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A flocked, nonwoven textile material suitable for use as floor coverings or the like and particularly characterized by a relief pattern in the flocked surface, said material comprising:

(a) a batt of thermoplastic, bendable, nonbrittle, textile fibers disposed in an intermingled, threedimensional arrangement throughout the length, width and depth of said batt and bonded together at spaced points of contact by a resinous bonding material to xedly join said fibers together to form a high loft, open, low density, bonded, nonwoven batt having a plurality of open, interconnecting voids constituting approximately at least of the volume of said bonded batt and irregular, open, voided upper, lower and side surfaces thereon;

(b) a resinous adhesive film disposed on and coating said fibers of said batt in a zone extending from said upper surface of said batt inwardly to about 10%- 35% of the thickness of said batt; and

(c) a multiplicity of flock-type textile fibers having one end of each fiber adhered to said adhesive film and to said fibers of said batt in said zone of adhesive film coating whereby said flock-type fibers penetrate into the voids of said bonded batt and extend therefrom to form a relatively dense, abrasion and wear resistant flocked surface` thereon which conforms generally to said irregular surface of said bonded batt to provide a relief pattern which particularly adapts said flocked material for use as a floor covering.

2. A flocked, nonwoven textile material, as set forth in claim 1, including a backing layer adhered to said lower surface of said bonded batt to provide stability to said flocked material.

3. A flocked, nonwoven textile material, as set forth in claim 1, in which said resinous adhesive has a viscosity in the range of 2,500 to 7,500 cps. Brookfield at 10 r.p.m. with #5 spindle to insure the desired penetration thereof into said bonded batt.

4. A flocked, nonwoven textile material, as set forth in claim 1, in which the average lengths of said flocktype textile fibers are greater than the average crosssectional dimensions of said voids in said bonded batt so that said flock-type fibers will extend from and generally perpendicular to said upper surface of said bonded batt to provide a high pile surface on said material.

`5. A flocked, nonwoven textile material, at set forth in claim 4, in which the average lengths of said flocktype fibers are 3 mm. to 5 mm. and the average crosssectional dimensions of said voids are 2 mm. to 4 mm.

=6. A flocked, nonwoven textile material, as set forth in claim 1, in Whichthe average lengths of said ock type textile fibers are less than the average cross-sectional iimensions of said voids so that said flock-type bers will extend substantially radially from and substantially surround each of said fibers of said bonded batt to which they are adhered to provide a dense ocked surface on said material and to render said material more resistant to compression.

7. A flocked, nonwoven textile material, as set forth in claim 6, in which the average lengths of said flock-type bers are 1/a mm. to 2 mm. and the average cross-sectional dimensions of said voids are 2 mm. to 5 mm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT F. BURNETT', Primary Examiner W. A. POWELL, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

